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Description: A synthetic narcotic, fentanyl has been detected in an increasing number of illicit drug overdose deaths in Metro Vancouver. Many of the people who died were recreational and/or occasional users and don’t appear to have known they were ingesting fentanyl, as it is easily hidden in other drugs.

Photos: PNG photographer Jason Payne wins National Picture of the Year awards

2011 NATIONAL PICTURES OF THE YEAR WINNER - PICTURE STORY CATEGORY (1 OF 12) : VANCOUVER, BC: JUNE 04, 2011 -- Jubilant hockey fans celebrate the Canucks win over the Boston Bruins in overtime Saturday during a mass gathering of fans on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver, BC June 4, 2011. Thousands of fans converged on the downtown core to watch the Canucks play the Boston Bruins on big screen jumbo TV's during the Stanley Cup playoff finals.

Photograph by: Jason Payne / PNG
, Handout

Pacific Newspaper Group photographer Jason Payne won two National Pictures of the Year awards Saturday for his coverage of the Stanley Cup riot last June, and one of his images was chosen as Canada's 2011 photograph of the year.

Payne won top honours in the spot news category and picture story category during a News Photographers Association of Canada gala event in Ottawa. His photos were selected from 2,300 images taken by 125 photographers.

2011 NATIONAL PICTURES OF THE YEAR WINNER - PICTURE STORY CATEGORY (1 OF 12) : VANCOUVER, BC: JUNE 04, 2011 -- Jubilant hockey fans celebrate the Canucks win over the Boston Bruins in overtime Saturday during a mass gathering of fans on Granville Street in downtown Vancouver, BC June 4, 2011. Thousands of fans converged on the downtown core to watch the Canucks play the Boston Bruins on big screen jumbo TV's during the Stanley Cup playoff finals.

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